Reason #323
I stood in my kitchen tonight, staring into the fridge searching for something sweet to eat. Here's the thing, a brownie can fix just about anything. I'm confident in that statement, too. Try it, next time you feel sad or stressed or hungry or happy, eat a brownie. It'll do just what you need it to do. It can fill you up, cheer you up, calm you down or sweeten the celebration (no pun intended). I didn't have any brownies on hand. Fortunately, for my waistline, I did not have a way to get one either. But I managed to locate the last bit of leftover Thanksgiving dessert cleverly disguised in a Cool Whip container. Non-suspecting and practical, right? Nine days has passed since Thanksgiving, however, it looked good, smelled good, and tasted good so I finished it off. Food is never the answer, but some times, food is a quick fix.
My day started off with an unforseen and completely unexpected phone call. A phone call that was an answered prayer and I was a little in shock. As I began to process this information, I didn't know how I felt. Excited, nervous, joyful, grateful, and a little sad. It was really a bittersweet thing I suppose. I love when God does this for me. I love when He answers my prayers so specifically. Because I've worried about this all week. I've allowed it to cause me undue stress and anxiety, and after I got the call this morning, I couldn't believe I had spent the past 4 days tortuing myself. It seemed so silly of me that I allowed worry to create such doubt. Doubt that God wouldn't take care of me. Doubt that He wouldn't desire to help me. Doubt that He wouldn't open up the right door for me. But we grow impatient with Him and when He doesn't respond in the exact way, at the exact moment we feel He should, we doubt. Does He care? Does He hear? Does He want us to be miserable? Why is it that we think God is working against our case? Why is it that we think He delights in seeing His children in turmoil and stress? Because that's not the God I know. The God I know desires peace and joy and abundance. He desires to meet our needs. He hears our prayers. He sees our hearts and our circumstances and He desires to take care of us. And so, He reminded me of that this morning. By doing something only He could do, He reminded me that He's got this under control.
I'm so glad He is always in control. Even when I resist and do my absolute best to try and be in control, I'm glad He has the final say. Because I can wear myself out quickly. And, while waiting for an answer, I begin to search and look for temporary solutions, seeking them from other things, only to eventually realize that He has all the answers. I can eat brownies all day, and it's never really going to fix anything. I can cry and wail and throw a fit and it's not going to take care of the issue. Some times, you just have to relinquish control, give it completely up, admit that you were wrong, and ask Him to take control. Take the reigns and steer you in the right direction. Because we do a really good job of getting off course. We do a good job of focusing on the tiny details that only draw us away from Him, convincing us of our own abilities and enticing us to follow our selfish ways. And we give in thinking our way is the right way and there could be no other way. But some times, we have to go a different route and some times that route isn't a quick fix. And so we loosen our grip and realize that only when we look to Him, when we rely on Him and quit chasing our selfishness, then we'll find answers. Only then will He be able to provide the fix we need when we actually hand over what's broken. When we quit seeking out quick fixes from things and people and start looking to Him for solutions, He'll not only take care of the problem, but He'll provide us with the right answer.
And so I'm grateful to serve a God who has all the answers. Who doesn't have to pass some litmus test in order to be believed. Who doesn't have to establish credibility or give supporting arguments to be convincing. And although I'd prefer a quick fix some times, I'm glad that He doesn't agree to that tactic. Because quick fixes are never the answer. Rather, I'm glad He uses those opportunities to teach me and change me. I praise Him that He is never ever just temporary solution, but rather, is the answer to all of our problems. It's true, and I'm confident in that statement. Try Him. Next time you feel sad or stressed or hungry or happy, try Him. Because He will fill you to the brim, ease your sorrows, calm your anxities, and give you an abiding joy. He is the solution, the fix, and the answer.
#323 - Because He has all of the solutions, fixes and knows the answers.
"The Lord has heard my plea; the Lord will answer my prayer." - Psalm 6:9
My day started off with an unforseen and completely unexpected phone call. A phone call that was an answered prayer and I was a little in shock. As I began to process this information, I didn't know how I felt. Excited, nervous, joyful, grateful, and a little sad. It was really a bittersweet thing I suppose. I love when God does this for me. I love when He answers my prayers so specifically. Because I've worried about this all week. I've allowed it to cause me undue stress and anxiety, and after I got the call this morning, I couldn't believe I had spent the past 4 days tortuing myself. It seemed so silly of me that I allowed worry to create such doubt. Doubt that God wouldn't take care of me. Doubt that He wouldn't desire to help me. Doubt that He wouldn't open up the right door for me. But we grow impatient with Him and when He doesn't respond in the exact way, at the exact moment we feel He should, we doubt. Does He care? Does He hear? Does He want us to be miserable? Why is it that we think God is working against our case? Why is it that we think He delights in seeing His children in turmoil and stress? Because that's not the God I know. The God I know desires peace and joy and abundance. He desires to meet our needs. He hears our prayers. He sees our hearts and our circumstances and He desires to take care of us. And so, He reminded me of that this morning. By doing something only He could do, He reminded me that He's got this under control.
I'm so glad He is always in control. Even when I resist and do my absolute best to try and be in control, I'm glad He has the final say. Because I can wear myself out quickly. And, while waiting for an answer, I begin to search and look for temporary solutions, seeking them from other things, only to eventually realize that He has all the answers. I can eat brownies all day, and it's never really going to fix anything. I can cry and wail and throw a fit and it's not going to take care of the issue. Some times, you just have to relinquish control, give it completely up, admit that you were wrong, and ask Him to take control. Take the reigns and steer you in the right direction. Because we do a really good job of getting off course. We do a good job of focusing on the tiny details that only draw us away from Him, convincing us of our own abilities and enticing us to follow our selfish ways. And we give in thinking our way is the right way and there could be no other way. But some times, we have to go a different route and some times that route isn't a quick fix. And so we loosen our grip and realize that only when we look to Him, when we rely on Him and quit chasing our selfishness, then we'll find answers. Only then will He be able to provide the fix we need when we actually hand over what's broken. When we quit seeking out quick fixes from things and people and start looking to Him for solutions, He'll not only take care of the problem, but He'll provide us with the right answer.
And so I'm grateful to serve a God who has all the answers. Who doesn't have to pass some litmus test in order to be believed. Who doesn't have to establish credibility or give supporting arguments to be convincing. And although I'd prefer a quick fix some times, I'm glad that He doesn't agree to that tactic. Because quick fixes are never the answer. Rather, I'm glad He uses those opportunities to teach me and change me. I praise Him that He is never ever just temporary solution, but rather, is the answer to all of our problems. It's true, and I'm confident in that statement. Try Him. Next time you feel sad or stressed or hungry or happy, try Him. Because He will fill you to the brim, ease your sorrows, calm your anxities, and give you an abiding joy. He is the solution, the fix, and the answer.
#323 - Because He has all of the solutions, fixes and knows the answers.
"The Lord has heard my plea; the Lord will answer my prayer." - Psalm 6:9